5: theories in Cog. Dev

Question 1

socio-cultural theory overview

Answer 1

• child as a product of their social/ cultural environment
• dev. occurs in social interaction
• Cognition advances when infants/children interact with others who are more mature through “internalization of socially shared processes”:
• language and other cultural tools shape and support cog. dev.

Question 2

zone of proximal development

Answer 2

The difference between what a novice can do with and without help from a more experienced guide/social partner

Question 3

scaffolding

Answer 3

• The support provided by an expert to a novice to help the novice gradually increase their knowledge and understanding
• Sensitive instruction that is just enough to help novice achieve the next level of understanding
• Instruction/guidance are contingent on the novice’s performance

Question 4

intermental knowledge

Answer 4

Knowledge/understanding that exists BETWEEN the child and a social partner

Question 5

intramental knowledge

Answer 5

Knowledge/understanding that exists WITHIN the individual child

• child hears parent’s instructions in her head
• no longer needs the external support

Question 6

role of language …Thierry et al., 2009

Answer 6

-language shapes cognition and the brain

The Greek language has specific words for different ‘deviants’ of blue (e.g., the lighter and darker shade) whereas the English language just has one word. This difference in language is associated with differences in cognition:

Native Greek speakers can perceptually discriminate (perceive the difference between) these two colors faster compared to Native English speakers

Native Greek speakers have a greater brain response when perceiving less canonical (more deviant) shades of blue compared to Native English speakers

Question 7

role of cultural tools in cognitive developing according to Soc-Cul theory

Answer 7

-Different cultures have different psychological ‘tools’ that shape thinking in different ways
E.g., Language, maps, objects

These cultural tools organize knowledge, and critically also adjust the way we think and what we know

Question 8

how does cog. dev. actually occur according to the Soc-Cul theory

Answer 8

• Social interaction (scaffolding, intermental-intramental progression)
• Cultural tools
• Cultural norms (opportunities for learning)
• Abilities that faciliate social learning

Question 9

how does Dynamic Systems and Gene-by-environment pull from prior theories

Answer 9

• Development arises from the multiple continuous interactions of all levels of the organism from the genetic/molecular level to the cultural level
• these cross-level influences are bi-directional
• This is a constructive process, in which a given developmental achievement represents a combination of prior genetic and environmental influences

Question 10

nativist believe environment or genes are responsible ?

Answer 10

genes

-The unfolding or triggering of information contained in the genes

Question 11

empiricist believe environment or genes responsible?

Answer 11

environment (nature)

-Identifying statistical regularities and contingencies in the environment to shape understanding/expectations about the self, others, and the world

Question 12

constructivism

Answer 12

• nature and nurture
• mind and brain emerge from interactions btw genes and environment
• Dynamic interactions between genes and environment in which each developmental step represents a combination of the factors that influenced it.

Question 13

how do “levels of organism” interact in Dynamic systems theories

Answer 13

• genetic activity, neural activity, cognition/behavior, environment (physical, social, and cultural) = continuous interactions of all levels
• bi-directional

Question 14

how do genes and environment interact in Gene-by-environment theories

Answer 14

• parent’s genotype
• child’s genotype
• child’s cognition/behavior/ temperament
• child’s rearing environment